Tai Chi Sword Brush

ABSTRACT

This invention is intended to address the American obesity crisis by combing three of China&#39;s treasured art forms, calligraphy, brush painting and tai chi, into an easy to use exercise implement. The sword brush utilizes the whole body moving as one to stimulate healing energy, or Qi. This energy in turn spurs creativity so that beautiful works of art can be generated. The Tai Chi Sword Brush in the invention can serve simultaneous purposes of practicing the ancient martial art of Tai Chi, cultivating Qi, exercising the body, mind, and spirit, as well as creative expression through calligraphy and painting. The present invention discloses a sword brush in the size and shape of a Tai Chi sword, including a hand grip blade. The sword brush can be used as a non-lethal weapon in martial arts practice or as a brush to apply ink or paint to paper in an artistic medium.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 13/890,225, filed May 8, 2013, which claims the priority of Chinese Application No. 201220383759, filed Aug. 3, 2012, and issued as CN 202685652 on Jan. 23, 2013. The entire contents of the preceding applications are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. Disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an artistic implement that applies color to an artistic medium while the user is practicing Tai Chi (or related martial arts). This implement is novel because the consumer creates visual art utilizing whole body martial arts movement that simultaneously exercises the physical, mental and spiritual self.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,996 to Workman: The Fountain Art Brush teaches that a sharp brush point will contain the colors ejected from a reservoir of ink from within the brush. The sharp brush point also can be utilized to part the hair and apply bleach or hair color from that implement. Here, however, the sharp brush point emulates the point of a Tai Chi sword so that the Qi can be funneled from the body down the sword brush handle and concentrated in the point in order to facilitate the application of creative energy into an art medium. Moreover, the present invention arranges the hairs of the brush in a cylindrical manner so that the point is shaped as a cone. The Sword Brush does not need a fountain because re-dipping the brush is part of the exercise and performance art.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,287 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,611 to Brown: In Brown's two patents, she teaches the effects of differing types of hair used in the brush, showing preferences for mink and chinchilla, depending on the effect desired. For the Tai Chi Sword Brush, the preference is for wool or wolf's hair because both are firm enough to allow for a three to five inch “blade” point while remaining supple enough to allow for Chinese traditional brush style painting or calligraphy. Brown's brushes are hand-held for applying color to a canvas using hand movements only. The Tai Chi Sword Brush is life-sized and is held as a sword to help cultivate and move Qi through the bosy before it is applied to a canvas with whole body movements.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,905 to Curtin: In Curtin's patent, she developed a hand-held brush tapered at both ends to allow for sculpting artificial fingernails by a nail salon technician. The Tai Chi Sword brush is life-sized and is only tapered at one end while the other hand has a grip blade to allow the brush to be handled as a sword.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention seeks to address the obesity crisis in America by combining traditional Chinese exercise with creative expression. Tai Chi is a martial art with world-wide appeal because any one can learn and practice it, regardless of physical condition. Tai Chi involves slow movements designed to harness the energy of the body, or Qi, and redirect it to correct imbalances and heal the body. Tai Chi has forged a bridge of cultural understanding between the east and west. It is common to see both Americans and Chinese practicing together early morning in New York's (and other large cities') urban parks.

The Tai Chi Sword Brush epitomizes the yin/yang aspect of martial arts: Chinese kung fu masters are excellent fighters also renowned for their healing powers and artistic skills. This invention cultivates Qi to create physical power that aids in self-defense (yang) while nurturing the healing and creative powers that aid in correcting imbalances in the body and the creation of beautiful works of art (yin).

Even when viewed in the western perspective of weight loss and calories burned, the Tai Chi Sword Brush's utility in fighting obesity is readily apparent. Using the free online WebMD Fit-O-Meter Calorie Calculator (www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-fitness-calorie-counter), a person weighing 150 lbs can burn only 102 calories while sitting and painting art for an hour. Tai Chi will burn 273. Painting the house will burn 342. So it follows that practicing Tai Chi with the Sword Brush should be more like painting a house rather than sitting to paint art, and thus burn at least 600 calories per hour by a 150 lb individual because two strenuous activities are done at once: Tai Chi exercise and painting using whole body movement.

Since painting well is a skill that requires development, even the novice user can produce satisfying results through calligraphy. Whether learning Chinese characters or just practicing the alphabet, the user utilizes whole body movement to create the strokes. This is ideal for schools in an era facing steep budget cuts and an obesity crisis in our children. The Tai Chi Sword Brush can be manufactured cheaply using plastic and synthetic hairs. The students will learn the alphabet, create art, and exercise simultaneously, requiring just one teacher in a shorter time period.

It is important to note that use of this implement is expected to create two new types of performance art: Tai Chi Sword Brush Calligraphy and Tai Chi Sword Brush Painting. Individuals will be attracted to both because of the health benefits of losing weight and cultivating Qi, but it is well-suited to exhibitions to large audiences by kung fu masters and accomplished students.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the lateral view of a sword brush showing an elongated sword-shaped body (1) comprising a hand grip blade (2), and a hand grip (3) at one end of said body. Attached to the end of the hand grip is a feather-tailed string (4). At the opposite end of said body is a conical artist's brush (5).

FIG. 2 depicts the top view of a sword brush showing the top side of a hand grip blade (2), the top of a hand grip (3), and the top of a feather-tailed string (4).

FIG. 3 depicts the bottom view of a sword brush showing a conical artist's brush (5) and the bottom side of a hand grip blade (2).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This implement consists of a bamboo, wooden, metallic, or plastic round, elongated body (1) resembling a Tai Chi sword with one end comprising a hand grip (3) used for holding the implement in one or two hands. The hand grip can be decorated with a feather-tailed string (4).

The other end of the elongated body comprises a brush (5) made from wolf s hair or wool, or other similar firm materials arranged in a cylindrical shape and coming to a sharp point in the shape of a cone.

Different materials can be used for the body (1) to adjust for weight or costs. Lighter materials are ideal for children and seniors, or those with health problems, while heavier weights will give a greater work-out for the strong and healthy. Plastic material is best for keeping the costs to a minimum while precious metals can be used for gift giving to a cherished master. Synthetic materials can replace the brush hairs to keep costs down and other types of decorations can replace the feather-tailed string (4). 

What is claimed is:
 1. An artistic implement for practicing Tai Chi or painting, said implement comprising: (a) an elongated sword-shaped body comprising a hand grip and a hand grip blade at one end of said body, (b) a feather-tailed string at the open end of said hand grip; and (c) a conical artist's brush attached to the opposing end of said body.
 2. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said body is about the size of a Tai Chi sword.
 3. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said conical artist's brush is two to five inches in length.
 4. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said conical artist's brush is made of wolf hair or wool.
 5. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said hand grip is configured to be held by one or two hands.
 6. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said body is made of materials selected from wood, bamboo, plastic and metal.
 7. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said hand grip is round, oval, rectangular or square in shape.
 8. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said hand grip blade is round, oval, rectangular or square in shape.
 9. The artistic implement of claim 1, wherein said body is round, oval, rectangular or square in shape. 